Abstract
Background: Motivation to engage in physical activity plays a central role in ensuring the health of the population. The present study investigated the psychometric properties and validity in Italy of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3), a widely used instrument for assessing individuals’ motivation to exercise based on self-determination theory (SDT). Methods: A large sample (N = 2222; females = 55.4%; Mage = 36.4 years, SDage = 13.9, min = 20, max = 69) of young people, and middle aged and older adults completed the Italian translation of the BREQ-3, also indicating their intentions to exercise in the following weeks. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the posited six-factor structure of the BREQ-3 fitted the data well (CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.04) and provided evidence for full measurement invariance across gender and different age groups. The construct validity of the BREQ-3 was supported by the latent correlations among the subscales, which were consistent with the quasi-simplex pattern theorized by SDT. The overall level of self-determination and the intention to exercise were positively correlated, providing evidence for the criterion validity of the scale. Conclusions: The Italian version of the BREQ-3 has proved to be a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the behavioral regulation of exercise in individuals with different demographic characteristics.
Highlights
Males and females as well as younger and older adults appear to interpret the corresponding items in a very similar way. These results extend the findings of previous studies [57], indicating that the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ)-3 scores can be meaningfully used to compare the different types of motivation across groups of widely varying ages
The present study provided evidence for the construct validity of the instrument, since our data showed that the correlation between forms of motivation that are adjacent on the continuum is stronger than the correlation between more distal types of motivation, thereby supporting the simplex pattern posited by self-determination theory (SDT)
The Italian version of the BREQ-3 has proved to be a concise, reliable, and versatile instrument that has broad applicability in different exercise contexts and that assesses all of the forms of behavioral regulation proposed by SDT
Summary
The positive effects of exercise on physical and mental health are well known [1], but there is substantial evidence that in industrialized countries most adults are insufficiently active [2,3,4]. This issue is of great concern in the context of public health initiatives. The present study investigated the psychometric properties and validity in Italy of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3), a widely used instrument for assessing individuals’ motivation to exercise based on self-determination theory (SDT)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
